Engineering and automation major ABB is looking to increase India’s contribution to its global revenues before 2030, as the group heads into 2026 with
its largest order book ever, President and CEO Morten Wierod told CNBC-TV18 in an exclusive interview on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum.
Wierod highlighted India’s leadership in the energy expansion phase, noting that while the global energy transition is still at an early stage, electricity demand is rising sharply as economies grow, living standards improve and data centres expand.
Quoting Frank Sinatra’s song, “If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere,” Wierod underlined India’s competitiveness. He added that ABB’s ambition is to lift India’s share in global revenues well before 2030, noting, “I hope it will be earlier.”
India leads energy expansion as power demand surges
India, he said, has been particularly effective in adding renewable capacity, especially in solar and wind, while simultaneously modernising grid infrastructure. “India has been really driving that energy expansion,” Wierod said, adding that grid reliability and security are increasingly central to economic resilience.
Automation will play a critical role in managing rising electricity demand, he said. From grid automation and load balancing to smarter energy use in buildings and industry, ABB sees automation as essential to reducing stress on power networks and preventing costly outages.
“Automation is needed to use electricity smarter,” Wierod said, pointing out that better timing and balancing of loads can significantly ease pressure on grids without compromising growth.
Manufacturing, exports and automation drive long-term growth
India is also emerging as a strategic manufacturing and export hub for ABB. The company already exports from its Indian facilities to the Middle East, Africa and Latin America, and plans to deepen this role further. Wierod said India’s “competitive cost structure,” combined with strong engineering capabilities and execution depth, makes it a natural base for serving global markets. “If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere,” he said.
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Currently ABB’s fourth-largest market globally, India is being challenged internally to move up the pecking order. Wierod said ABB aims to push India to the third-largest position before 2030, adding, “I hope it will be earlier.” To support this ambition, ABB is expanding manufacturing capacity, investing in technology and R&D, and remaining open to bolt-on acquisitions that strengthen its electrification and automation offerings.
ABB is seeing sustained momentum across its core businesses as global investments in power systems and industrial efficiency rise. “We’re going into the year with the largest order book we’ve ever had,” Wierod said, adding that the twin trends of electrification and automation are not short-term cycles but multi-decade shifts likely to extend well beyond 2030.
As ABB sharpens its focus following the planned robotics divestment, Wierod said capital allocation and M&A will remain aligned to adjacencies that strengthen core capabilities. Under its “leaner, cleaner, faster, stronger” strategy, the group is positioning competitiveness and sustainability as complementary goals, helping customers improve productivity while cutting emissions.
Shares of ABB India Ltd were trading 0.80% higher at ₹4,729 as of 1.13 pm on Wednesday.
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